I fished Venice spring and summer, mostly alone, seriously about ten years ago with topwaters and Slapsticks and Deadly Dudley straight tails fished deep. Late afternoons way downriver on good weekdays. Mud lumps, beach, jetties. Never could get past six pounds til one day on some deep rocks.
One perfect evening, I got a few five pounders on DDs right away and then started working over a black/chrome She Dog. The big girl hit about a half hour before sunset, no camera, long before camera phones. Taped out at 28.25 inches, was unhooked without any trauma, didn't want the only photo to be of a dead fish at night at Venice Marina by a security guard who would likely screw it up, so I let her go. I had never been moved by any trout mounts previous, either.
She was heavy bellied, but I really have no idea how heavy she might have gone. Shortest 45 minute ride home ever!
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